Good Will And Peace
by RainyDayz
Summary: After Save the Citizen, Warren isn't feeling well. While attempting to tough it out as he usually does, he keeps coming face to face with an unappreciated helping hand.


A/N: Hello again. Due to the amazing reviews that I received for Honey and Tea, I have decided to write another Sky High piece. I honestly wasn't going to pursue a second Sky High fanfic, but the response to the last one, coupled with a particularly vicious plot bunny, have persuaded me otherwise.This fic wasn't nearly as fun to write as Honey and Tea, but the first is always special. I am so grateful for all of the reviews for Honey and Tea and deeply honored because I am a fan of many of those who left one. Thank you and please enjoy the result of your kind comments.

RainyDayz

p.s. Thank you, Juene Chat.

He had played Save the Citizen before, but that didn't mean he was a fan. He suited up, fought until he didn't have to, and then returned to being just another part of the background.

Today looked like it was going to be a slightly different story. Warren would have had to be a fool not to know that Lash and Speed had set this up. Idiots though they were, they were fairly good at strategic maneuvers, thus they had paired Will Stronghold up with the one boy in school he would find difficult to work with.

_Clever morons. _

He wasn't going to be a part of their joke, though. Warren would put just as much effort, or lack there of, into this game as he had the others-- grudgingly -- no matter who his partner was.

So when the buzzer rang and the timer started counting down, he fought, barely registering his counterpart until he had to bring him back down to earth.

And then Speed was coming at him like a bullet. He prepared himself for the encounter, lighting up and taking a defensive stance. But he hadn't seen this type of attack coming and he _really _wasn't ready.

In less than half a second, there was a wall of idiot encircling him. The flames on his arms died and in a rush of air, all the breath literally "wooshed" out of him.

Warren was calculating the risk of simply plowing through the barrier surrounding him. He doubted it would be much different than being punched through a wall by Stronghold, but even as this thought came and went, his vision began to waver.

His limbs felt heavy and with great effort, he lifted his hand to his chest, clutching at his throat weakly and gasping.

It hurt. It hurt more than he would ever admit to anyone.

Warren vaguely registered a sinking sensation, his legs slowly buckling beneath him. He knew it was ridiculous, but he couldn't stop his thoughts from turning to his mother.

_I'm not going to die._

As much of a glutton for carnage as he was, Coach Boomer would never let a student die during a game.

He hoped...

His head was pounding and his lungs were burning as his chest collapsed, finally losing the battle for oxygen. He let himself fall forward, his arms sliding across the floor as dark spots began to dance in front of him.

And suddenly there was air. He didn't gasp or suck it in greedily, as he knew he should have. His breath came in shallow -- gentle and slow. He didn't want to try standing up, but someone had other plans.

Distantly, Warren felt the floor disappear from under him. He wondered briefly if he had passed out, but as he turned his head lazily to the side, he could see a flash of blue and white.

_Stronghold..._

And then the gym turned into a streaking smear around him as he was launched through the air. Apparently, Will still wanted to win the game and Warren was too tired to argue. That and the fact that he was already an impromptu Frisbee.

The Citizen doll was blurry and he took a second to consider the mulcher, but in the end, he simply reached out and grabbed it, landing with a dull thud on the other side of the gym and tossing the doll away as the crowd erupted in cheers.

He winced at the noise and let his head fall back for just an instant before taking into account that he was impossibly visible to everyone.

He was just sitting up when a large blue and white blur extended something to him.

_Ah, a hand...He chucks me across a room and offers me a hand. Idiot..._

He bypassed the offer, shaking his head in a manner that stated "unbelievable", but was a disguised, and futile effort to chase away the remaining spots dotting his vision.

He made his way to the locker room, listing from side to side. He moved forward stubbornly.

He changed back into his clothes slowly, periodically leaning against the wall to regain some semblance of balance, all the while cursing Speed.

_Damn that no good, oversized pain in the a--_

"Are you ok?"

Warren's head snapped up and the room spun for a moment. He frowned when he noticed Will in front of him. The brunette was bent over, hands on his knees, so that he was eye level with Warren, who was seated on a bench, hands dangling between his legs and eyes downcast.

Will's head was tilted to the side and his eyes flickered with concern.

Warren snarled and sat back against the wall.

"Don't you have autographs to sign? Beat it."

Will's expression didn't change.

"Maybe you should go see the nurse…"

"Leave me alone, _hero_," Warren sneered.

"Ok, but--"

A dark glare and a shimmer of heat spurred Will into a hasty retreat as he grabbed his clothes and scurried off to go change.

The flame thrower rolled his eyes and then closed them, inhaling deeply.

He didn't notice Will peeking shamelessly around the corner of a locker, brow creased in worry before pulling on his shirt and hastily making his way out the door.

… … … … … … … …

Warren blinked again, trying to bring the text on the page back into focus. An hour after Save the Citizen and he had suffered two dizzy spells and he still couldn't shake the blurry edge around his eyes.

_This isn't right. I shouldn't be this messed up._

And yet he was. He gave up on reading and snapped the book shut, shoving it into his backpack and tossing it over his shoulder. He pushed away from the desk and stood.

He was hit with a fierce bout of vertigo and stumbled into the chair, grabbing at it so it wouldn't fall over and alert the rest of the library to his obvious lack of stability.

He took a minute to compose himself, darted his eyes around the room to make sure that this moment of humiliation had gone unnoticed, and quietly exited.

Partially hidden by a well placed globe, Will and Ethan exchanged a concerned glance.

"I know he tried to burn you alive, Will, but is he ok?"

"I asked him about it. He, uh…changed the subject."

"Maybe we should do something."

Will scoffed. "Like what?"

"I don't know. He doesn't seem to have any friends. What if he gets hurt?"

There was a lengthy pause.

"Ethan, I doubt he'll get hurt."

The dark haired boy threw him a skeptical look, but let it go.

… … … … … … … …

His headache was getting worse. It was coming to the point where he wanted to slam his head repeatedly into a wall.

_Lord knows everyone already thinks I'm a psychopath. _

But he continued through his Mad Science class, stoically ignoring the searing pain behind his eyes.

By the end of the day, he was feeling more optimistic. Despite the pounding in his skull, he hadn't felt dizzy since he had left the library.

When the bell rang, he stepped out the door, bringing a leather clad hand to his head and massaging his temples for the umpteenth time that day. He grimaced as a particularly sharp lance of pain shot through him.

He didn't have time to bring the neutral expression back to his face before a voice sounded to his right.

"Hey."

He turned, squinting imperceptibly against the florescent lighting in the hallway. He sighed internally. Will Stronghold.

"Why won't you stop bothering?" He growled.

Will gave a lopsided shrug and held out his hand.

"Here. These should help."

Warren glared, but peered cautiously into the other boy's hand.

Two aspirins.

The pyrokinetic scowled and looked back up at Will.

"What are these for?"

The Stronghold boy shifted uncomfortably, hand still outstretched.

"I, uh…thought you might have a headache."

"Why would you think that?" Warren asked darkly.

Will, deciding it would be in his best interest to avoid stating that he'd been observing the flame thrower's subtle winces every time a door slammed, and opted to go for a much safer explanation.

"Well, I read in science class that sometimes, when you don't get enough air, like when you go hiking, you can get a headache…or something." He smiled disarmingly.

Warren stared at him, his dark eyes never betraying his thoughts when he at last held out his hand, palm up.

Will hesitated for a moment, then dropped the pills into the gloved extremity. He met Warren's eyes and beamed.

The taller boy glared and walked away, pocketing the pain killers almost secretively.

When he was out of sight, Will turned and grinned at Ethan, who had popped out from a classroom doorway and gave him a thumbs up.

… … … … … … …

Warren cleared several plates from the table, scrubbing it down and tossing the rag over his shoulder as he grabbed the tray of dirty dishes and headed to the kitchen. He glanced at the clock and realized that his shift was almost over.

Heaving a sigh of relief, he dropped the dishes into the sink and went to hang his apron.

His head was still aching, but he had -- reluctantly -- swallowed both aspirins and was thankful that they had taken the edge off.

He was beginning to feel lightheaded again and decided it was time to go home.

Warren shrugged into his jacket, pulling the tie out of his hair and letting it fall back over his shoulders, dark strands brushing past his eyes. He waved at his boss's quiet goodbye, mumbling a few words in Chinese before pushing open the door and stepping out into the crisp night.

He pulled at his leather jacket, huddling into it as he hunched over and strode down the sidewalk, his long legs eating up the distance as his booted feet pounded the pavement. It was chilly and he wanted to go home and crash -- very possibly on the couch if he didn't make it upstairs first.

A stray hair fell into his face and he tossed his head impatiently.

Far too late, he realized his mistake as the world tilted and spun, the sky trading places with the ground over and over until he was afraid he would fall into the star speckled night and never _stop_ falling.

And then he noticed that he was, in fact, headed downward, the ground rushing up to meet him. He braced himself for the cold feel of concrete, but it never came.

Instead, a pair of strong yet gentle hands were gripping him beneath both arms, hefting him up and away from the sidewalk.

Warren glanced up and for the third time that day, he found himself staring into Will Stronghold's face as the brunette effortlessly supported the pyrokinetic's weight.

Both young men were silent with surprise at their awkward encounter before Warren shoved Will's hands off him and took several steps away.

"Damnit, Stronghold! Do you follow me everywhere?"

Will blinked, brow creased in a mixed expression of amusement and concern.

"I live a few blocks away from here. I was just headed home and I saw you from down the street. You don't look so g--"

"I'm _fine_. Now run along home to mommy and daddy." Warren knew he was being harsh, but he was feeling less than perfect and he just wanted to curl up and go to sleep on his sofa.

"Are you sure? Where do you live? I can make sure you get home ok…"

The look in the dark boy's eyes was smoldering and Will swallowed down a lump of fear.

"I don't need you looking out for me and I don't want your help. I can take care of myself, in case you hadn't noticed. Now go do whatever it is people like you do. Have a slumber party your friends, save the world - just leave me out of it."

Warren turned on his heel and marched down the street, shoulders tense and temper seething. But underneath his indignant fury, he felt a pang of guilt.

Sighing heavily, he stopped and looked back over his shoulder at Will, who hadn't moved from the spot Warren left him in.

The brunette noticed the pyro pause and raised his eyebrows in question.

Warren hesitated, mentally slaughtering himself before he opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again.

"…Thanks."

Will's smile stretched across his entire face, eyes broadcasting warmth and sincerity.

"No problem," he said brightly.

Warren scowled, "This doesn't make us friends."

Will shrugged and nodded, "I know."

The pyrokinetic stuffed his hands into his pockets, jerked his head in a nod, and continued down the street.

Will watched him go for a moment, shaking his head and smiling before deciding to follow Warren until he had made it safely home at a very, _very_ safe distance.

The End.

… … … … … … …

"Because I am God…your Savior…I paid a huge price for you…_That's_ how much you mean to me. _That's_ how much I love you. I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you. So don't be afraid: I'm with you." -- Isaiah 43


End file.
